The decision by Sweeney, who is from West Deptford, leaves
Senator Barbara Buono of Metuchen as the party’s only declared
candidate. Christie, a 50-year-old Republican enjoying record
approval ratings for his response to Hurricane Sandy, has
dominated potential challengers in polling.

“After careful consideration and much deliberation, I will
not be a candidate for governor in 2013,” Sweeney said in a
statement today. “I’ve decided my work now needs to be focused
on ensuring the legislature remains in Democratic control.”

Christie, the first Republican elected New Jersey governor
since 1997, said on Nov. 26 he will seek a second term to
oversee the $36.9 billion job of rebuilding. All 120 seats in
the Senate and Assembly are also open in November.

The governor’s approval rating reached a high of 74 percent
in a Jan. 23 poll by Quinnipiac University. He led possible
Democratic challengers by margins of at least 2-1.

The governor beat Sweeney 61 percent to 25 percent and
Buono 63 percent to 22 percent. The closest challenger was
Senator Richard Codey, who was acting governor for 14 months
after James McGreevey resigned in 2004 amid a sex scandal.
Christie led Codey 59 percent to 30 percent the poll found.

No Competition

Codey said on Jan. 25 that he wouldn’t run because of
concerns about the impact of a campaign on his family life.

“I will enthusiastically back whomever the nominee is and
do all that I can in support,” Codey said in a statement.

Buono, 59, an attorney, has scheduled a noon press
conference at a Trenton hotel to announce a “major
endorsement” from a New Jersey political leader. She raised
$212,927 for her election through December, while Christie
raised $2.1 million, according to campaign-finance reports.

Sweeney’s decision shows Democrats have conceded the
governor’s race to Christie and will concentrate on shoring up
legislative majorities rather than challenging Buono, said
Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling
Institute.

“Nobody think’s she’s going to win,” Murray said in a
telephone interview. “It’s an indication that most of the
power-brokers have pulled out of the governor’s race and are
putting all of their resources into protecting seats in their
own backyards.”